Prosecution seeks to detain GSU camp spying suspects for ten days

Police seek to detain two terror suspects for allegedly conducting surveillance of a GSU camp and military base for purposes of carrying out an attack.

The prosecution urged Milimani senior principal magistrate Kennedy Cheruiyot to allow police to continue holding James Mburu Ikaba and Miriam Njoki for 10 days to enable them to complete investigations into the matter.

“The respondents are being investigated for several terrorism and related offences which include collection of information contrary to the Anti-Terrorism Act 2012 which attracts not less than 20 years in jail,” reads an affidavit filed in court by sergeant Geoffrey Busolo.

According to the prosecution, the two were arrested on January 4 this year while taking photographs outside the GSU Recce squad camp in Ruiru.

Taking photos

The court heard that before their arrest, the two suspects were in a Land cruiser which was parked outside the GSU camp.

Ikaba is said to have been the driver and suspected owner of the vehicle while Njoki was a passenger.

It is said the suspects were taking photos of the Ruiru company premises and upon intervention by the GSU officers on duty they sped off, forcing GSU officers to open fire, which deflated one of the car’s tyres.

The court was told two Ceska pistols and 52 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the suspects’ house and car.

According to police, out of the 52 bullets, seven of them were found in the vehicle while other 45 bullets two pistols were recovered at the suspects house in Marurui estate, Kiambu county.

In their defence, however, the duo objected the State application to be detained for 10 days, claiming Ikaba was a licenced firearm owner.

Buy food

They argued that they had already spent two days in custody thus 10 were too many.

The suspects denied they tried to escape, claiming they had stopped at the area to buy food and only drove off after being asked to leave the area.

“It is suspected that the respondents were conducting surveillance at the GSU Recce Company, Ruiru for purposes of carrying out a terrorist attack,” the prosecution told the court.

“I have noted that a gun and ammunitions were recovered from the suspects and what transpired on the material day.

Therefore, I am satisfied that the suspects remain in custody at any police station within the republic of Kenya pending my ruling tomorrow morning (today),” Magistrate Cheruiyot ruled. The court will decide today whether the suspects will be detained.